'Deserved' tribute to Travis units
Article Last Updated: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 - 11:28:22 pm PDT
By Ian Thompson
FAIRFIELD - Travis Air Force Base's service members were lauded as "the best and brightest of America's ambassadors" for their work around the world defending America and helping other nations back on their feet.
"There is nothing we can do for them that they don't deserve," said Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Alamo, at the Travis Community Consortium's Salute to Travis luncheon.
"We are going to brag about Travis today," Fairfield Vice Mayor Harry Price told those gathered at the Fairfield Community Center Tuesday to honor Travis Air Force Base and its people.
It was a day best summed up in what was etched on the glass plaques - "Thank you for your service to the defense of our nation."
The military members were equally appreciative.
"It is an honor to stand before members of the community who support our families," 60th Air Mobility Wing commander Col. Lyn Sherlock said of what she described as "an absolutely amazing team partnership" between the base and the surrounding community.
Most of the uniforms present were Air Force blue, but there was also Navy white and Army green in attendance at the luncheon which also had many of the community's business, civic and educational leaders.
Representatives of each major unit stationed on or near the base were given the sculpted glass plaques.
Those honored were the 60th Air Mobility Wing, the Air Force Reserve's 349th Air Mobility Wing, the 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, the 615th Contingency Response Wing, the Navy's VQ-3 detachment, the Army Reserve's 3rd Brigade of the 91st Division and the California National Guard's 49th Military Police Brigade.
Every unit either had servicemembers serving in and around Iraq or Afghanistan, were heavily involved in training units for deployment or were on duty protecting the U.S. from further terrorist attack.
"I am humbled to stand in the presence of these great, great people," Vacaville City Councilwoman Pauline Clancy said when she presented the plaque to Brig. Gen. Thomas Gisler of the 349th AMW.
During his presentation, Price lauded the recent good news that Travis was not even mentioned on the Secretary of Defense's list of proposed base closures and realignments.
"But this is only the beginning. We still have four months of hard work ahead of us," Price said of the upcoming Base Closure Commission hearings and deliberations.
Tauscher said part of the reason Travis was unscathed was because "they are not confused about how important Travis is to our national defense."
"I was never in doubt that we would be missing in action on that list," Tauscher said.
Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson@dailyrepublic.net.
By Ian Thompson
FAIRFIELD - Travis Air Force Base's service members were lauded as "the best and brightest of America's ambassadors" for their work around the world defending America and helping other nations back on their feet.
"There is nothing we can do for them that they don't deserve," said Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Alamo, at the Travis Community Consortium's Salute to Travis luncheon.
"We are going to brag about Travis today," Fairfield Vice Mayor Harry Price told those gathered at the Fairfield Community Center Tuesday to honor Travis Air Force Base and its people.
It was a day best summed up in what was etched on the glass plaques - "Thank you for your service to the defense of our nation."
The military members were equally appreciative.
"It is an honor to stand before members of the community who support our families," 60th Air Mobility Wing commander Col. Lyn Sherlock said of what she described as "an absolutely amazing team partnership" between the base and the surrounding community.
Most of the uniforms present were Air Force blue, but there was also Navy white and Army green in attendance at the luncheon which also had many of the community's business, civic and educational leaders.
Representatives of each major unit stationed on or near the base were given the sculpted glass plaques.
Those honored were the 60th Air Mobility Wing, the Air Force Reserve's 349th Air Mobility Wing, the 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force, the 615th Contingency Response Wing, the Navy's VQ-3 detachment, the Army Reserve's 3rd Brigade of the 91st Division and the California National Guard's 49th Military Police Brigade.
Every unit either had servicemembers serving in and around Iraq or Afghanistan, were heavily involved in training units for deployment or were on duty protecting the U.S. from further terrorist attack.
"I am humbled to stand in the presence of these great, great people," Vacaville City Councilwoman Pauline Clancy said when she presented the plaque to Brig. Gen. Thomas Gisler of the 349th AMW.
During his presentation, Price lauded the recent good news that Travis was not even mentioned on the Secretary of Defense's list of proposed base closures and realignments.
"But this is only the beginning. We still have four months of hard work ahead of us," Price said of the upcoming Base Closure Commission hearings and deliberations.
Tauscher said part of the reason Travis was unscathed was because "they are not confused about how important Travis is to our national defense."
"I was never in doubt that we would be missing in action on that list," Tauscher said.
Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson@dailyrepublic.net.
posted by Solano EDC at 2:25 PM
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